Remote server management devices facilitate remote access and administration of server computer systems. Remote console functionality allows a user to access a server from another computer, known as a management console. The management console enables a user to interact with the server as though the user were physically at the server.
The remote console functionality is beneficial because the user is provided with video and keyboard access, even when the Operating System (OS) of the server is down. The user therefore has the ability to perform various activities, such as access the server, install or uninstall the OS, perform diagnostics, reset the server, watch the reset process remotely, and view previously stored console activity, regardless of whether the server OS is online or offline.
Computing systems contain various hardware components. These hardware components, however, can be expensive to implement, especially in computing environments with a large number of servers. For example, in many system applications (such as blade servers), the system is deployed where local video access is either not desired or accessible. Implementing a video subsystem in each of the blade servers consumes valuable system board real-estate, increases the cost of the solution, and typically requires additional external components, such as video Random Access Memory (RAM).